Setbacks mount in Japan at leaking nuclear plant

[marmar]

By MARI YAMAGUCHI, Associated Press – 1 hr 58 mins ago


TOKYO – Setbacks mounted Wednesday in the crisis over Japan's tsunami-damaged nuclear facility, with nearby seawater testing at its highest radiation levels yet and the president of the plant operator checking into a hospital with hypertension.

Nearly three weeks after a March 11 tsunami engulfed the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant, knocking out power to the cooling system that keeps nuclear fuel rods from overheating, Tokyo Electric Power Co. is still struggling to bring the facility in northeastern Japan under control.

Radiation leaking from the plant has seeped into the soil and seawater nearby and made its way into produce, raw milk and even tap water as far as Tokyo, 140 miles (220 kilometers) to the south.

The stress of reining in Japan's worst crisis since World War II has taken its toll on TEPCO President Masataka Shimizu, who was sent to a hospital late Tuesday. .............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_japan_earthquake

[Xipe Totec]

1. Highly toxic plutonium also has been detected in the soil outside the plant

The lethal dose of plutonium in humans is one microgram.

Let me repeat that. One microgram.

[marions ghost]

2. heckuva job Shimizu

Poor Shimizu. The good life is over. Crimes against humanity = hard work. When the going gets tough the "tough" fall down. Because they never imagined this scenario. Just put the blinders on and work for the company. Well the blame must be shared, but this turkey probably won't show his face again.

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Shimizu, 66, has not been seen in public since a March 13 news conference in Tokyo, raising speculation that he had suffered a breakdown. For days, officials deflected questions about Shimizu's whereabouts, saying he was "resting" at company headquarters.

Spokesman Naoki Tsunoda said Wednesday that Shimizu had been admitted to a Tokyo hospital after suffering dizziness and high blood pressure.
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Let's see if they do this idea:

"TEPCO plans to spray resin on the ground around the plant to keep radioactive particles from spreading or seeping into the ocean. The company will test the method Thursday in one section of the plant before using it elsewhere, Nishiyama said.

"The idea is to glue them to the ground," he said. But it would be too sticky to use inside buildings or on sensitive equipment.

The government also is considering covering some reactors with cloth tenting, TEPCO said. If successful, that could allow workers to spend longer periods of time in other areas of the plant."

[Urban Prairie]

3. For the Japanese, especially leaders in commerce, industry, and energy

"face" is everything to them and losing most, if not all it, amongst their peers and being exposed to public shame is the worst fate imaginable, from what I have read, and it is no wonder that Shimizu has become hospitalized as a result.

. Saving face is crucial in Japanese society.
. The Japanese believe that turning down someone's request causes embarrassment and loss of face to the other person.
. If the request cannot be agreed to, they will say, 'it's inconvenient' or 'it's under consideration'.
. Face is a mark of personal dignity and means having high status with one's peers.
. The Japanese will try never to do anything to cause loss of face.
. Therefore, they do not openly criticize, insult, or put anyone on-the-spot.
. Face can be lost, taken away, or earned through praise and thanks.

http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/japan-country-profiles.html